LILY
The next couple of days were…hectic.
It started with his presence.
Not loudly. Not dramatically. Just… there.
I noticed it at breakfast first.
The dining room had always been quiet in the mornings—soft clinks of cutlery, Alice humming to herself, Margaret moving efficiently between tasks. I had just helped Alice into her chair when the air shifted, heavy and unmistakable, like a door closing somewhere deep in the house.
Mr Grant sat at the head of the table.
I stopped short.
He hadn’t been there when I walked in. I was sure of it. He hadn’t made a sound, hadn’t announced himself. He simply existed now, impeccably dressed, posture perfect, dark eyes already fixed on Alice.
“Daddy,” Alice chirped, smiling wide. “You’re eating with us?”
“Yes,” he said, calm as ever. “I’ve adj
